Another Chance
by Anisky0703
Summary: An older Touya Akira muses on the relationship he has with his rival. Will he ever stop living in his past? Will there be someone to save him from himself? [Chapter 2 up] Warning: shounen-ai
1. Prologue: Reminiscing

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Disclaimer: I don't own HikaGo…Gawds knows what I would do with it if I did… *goes back into her shounen-ai fantasies*

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Dedication: This chapter and series definitely goes out The Evil One (as she likes to call herself) *laughs* who encouraged *coughbuggedcough* me non-stop to at least finish one fucking chapter. Not only that, she helped me out with some of my plot holes (Yay! ^ ^) and is one of the only people who'll listen to me bitch and complain about being too lazy to finish this thing. 

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A/N: *blinks* I can't believe that I'm doing this…I've had this idea in my head for a while and like you can see in my dedication section, it actually took a while to get this story off the ground. Hopefully, as the plot unravels in my mind, it'll be different from some of the fics you see. To be honest with you guys, I have no idea if I'll ever finish this fic off or not but if I don't, at least it'll be a pleasant one-shot… I think…- -;

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Another Chance

Prologue: Reminiscing 

Akira sighed in exhaustion as he sat heavily in an armchair. He was so glad that he was home. The final game for the Meijin series resulted in him keeping his title for another year. He knew he should be glad that he was successful in defending his title but he really wasn't. He just felt old.

He was only thirty-three— or was it thirty-four? Yet, his bones seemed to ache with a tiredness that had been present for years. He was sick of his life— sick of coming night after night to an empty house.

His life was far from perfect. He had been married (the key word "had") but after five years of unhappiness, they had divorced. The only blessing that had come out of it was his six-year-old daughter, Akane. Although, she spent most of her time with her mother, she constantly spent time with him as well. His spirits always seemed lighter with Akane around, full of warmth and laughter. His ray of light among the darkness— that's what she was to him.

  
It saddened him how even his passion of Go could not sustain him. He loved Go yet; it felt like he had walked up to a brick wall. There was no way to get past it; there weren't even cracks which rays of light could filter through. He was stuck with nowhere to go. There was no one to challenge him and no one that he could pursue. There was no one who could rival his strength and no one that would allow him to progress past that wall. He hated it.

There had been a time when his whole being was in turmoil. A turmoil of passion that blinded and confused him, that made him want, that made him _hunger_, that made every cell in his body to yearn to move forward and come out on top, despite all consequences. It had nourished him and in turn, he had become addicted, addicted to Shindo Hikaru.

A pang of pain shot through him and he winced, although not surprised at his body's response. It still hurt to think about the boy— his rival— the boy he barely knew. Images of Hikaru were still imprinted in his mind— the innocence and unbridled enthusiasm that developed into a quiet determination, as he grew more mature. 

It always bewildered Akira these rapid changes in the Go player. Every encounter with Hikaru was a bit of the puzzle that filled the unfinished picture in his mind. These weren't memories— he hadn't known Hikaru long enough or well enough for something like that.

He wasn't sure what drew him to Hikaru either. Yes, he was his rival, yet, there was an unidentifiable spark within the latter, almost a natural love for Go that few kids his age possessed. He felt for the first time that someone truly understood him and shared the same passion for Go.

How he had looked forward to those confrontations! These were his chances to assert himself in the other's life. Although he would never admit it, he loved the competition. He had loved the thrill and surge of emotions it brought in him. Although at first it had confused him, and he remembered how bewildered he had been that Hikaru, of all people, brought out these conflicting emotions.

Later on, he did find out about the other side about Hikaru, albeit vaguely— how he had been the one he had played in the beginning and the one he had chased at first. Surprisingly though, it hadn't changed his view on Hikaru. He was his rival but he still respected him. Hikaru had even earned his admiration, although this fact had never appealed to him. It had been so perfect, a whole world that seemed to only exist for the two of them— both of them striving for the Hand of God, the perfect game. 

Oh how wrong he had been! It had been naïve of him to think that such a world would continue to exist. This world had shattered like the most fragile vase by something he had least expected— a foreign element that hadn't been accounted for until it was too late. What had it been? 

A _girl_.

He still remembered it as it were yesterday. He was sixteen and was rising up the ranks of the Go world quickly. He was in the finals of the Ouza tournament, in an attempt to win his first title. His life was advancing quite nicely— even his competition with Hikaru was as strong as ever, who still held the status of his official rival and worthy adversary. 

Then out of the blue, _she_ showed up. She was half-Japanese and half-British, with light brown hair and unusual eyes, who had come to Japan to visit her relatives. He didn't see what was so special about her— she was an ordinary girl— but Hikaru became infatuated by her. 

Being a reasonable guy, he thought it was going to blow over. After all, there was Akari, Hikaru's on again, off again girlfriend. But then, it started to get serious. Everywhere he was, she seemed to be right there beside him. Yet, what infuriated him the most was the fact she had no interest in Go whatsoever. Whenever he spotted her at Go competitions, she always seemed to be half-asleep and only gave the Go matches a cursory glance. How could Hikaru be interested in a girl like her?

Then came the final blow. After the years he had dedicated to showing his true strength to Hikaru, the moment had come to play Hikaru in the finals for the Honinbo tournament. This was the first time he had gotten this far and now, as if to fulfill his ultimate wish, he was challenging Hikaru. He hadn't been able to go to sleep that night but his lack of sleep didn't show. He was literally shaking with excitement as he sat before the Go board, waiting for his opponent to show.

It was a forfeit. Hikaru didn't show up. Akira still couldn't comprehend the situation— he had thought that Hikaru had wanted this match as much as he had; it looked like he was wrong. He finally understood the taste of true bitterness as it rose up his throat and left behind a horrible aftertaste. 

He had refused to speak to anyone after that, until he found out the reason for Hikaru's absence. Ogata, being the fountain of information that he is, finally satisfied him with the knowledge that was deprived from him. And, when he found out, he felt like laughing and crying at the same time.

He had eloped. He had eloped with that girl. He had ran away with her to God knows where and was going to _marry_ the fucking girl. The girl who didn't even _deserve _Hikaru— what gave her the right to marry him?

Anger rose within him at the sudden knowledge. He felt it penetrating his skin oozing through his pores at the thought. How could Hikaru be stupid enough to think that _girl_ would make him happy?

He could have handled the blinding anger. He really could have. However, it was immediately followed by a crushing sadness that hit him hard and fast. He suddenly became unaware of his surroundings as he ran out of the room, blurry images passing him in his wake. He wasn't even aware how he had even gotten home as he holed himself up in his room, only relieved that he could be alone with his thoughts. He leaned against a wall as he slowly slid to the floor, the reality of the situation finally sinking in and that was when tears finally came.

Akira blinked— unaware that he had been openly staring into space— as the present rushed back as it always seemed to do. He pinched the bridge of his nose to alleviate the ache that started to pulse in his temples. He sighed as he saw the time— _1:03 a.m.— _ flashing in the darkness from his bedside. His eyes then drifted to the other side of the room where bottles of clear liquids shone brilliantly on his mini-bar, as the moonlight danced along the glass surfaces.

As tempting as it was, as much as he wanted to wipe the image of Hikaru that lived in his mind with alcohol, Akira knew it wasn't the smartest thing to do. He had an interview with a Go reporter tomorrow about today's match and it wasn't going to make the situation any better if he had a killer hangover in the process. He'll save that for another day. 

Akira yawned as he flopped onto his bed, "_I might as well go to sleep. After all, tomorrow's another day."_


	2. Chapter 1: Nostalgic

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Disclaimer: Hikaru no Go does not belong to me. I just like to have fun with them! ^ ^

Dedication: This is dedicated to Da Evil One once again because it was because of her threats that I got this chapter out this fast. I'm such a lazy bum…[sigh] This is also dedicated to all that reviewed and showed me support. Thanks so very much and I hope you like the way this fic turns out!

A/N: Remind me never to do an author's note when I'm half-asleep…[yawn] Anyways, I can honestly say that I can't believe I got this chapter out. I'm so not committed when it comes to finishing fan fiction. I just wanted to clear some things up. Yes, Akira did swear but let's be realistic--he's a thirty something year old who really hates this girl for taking Hikaru away--it's understandable, ne? On another note, just half fun and enjoy this chapter. It's not one of my best but I hope the chapters after this will make up for it. Later! ^ ^

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Another Chance

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Chapter 1: Nostalgic

Akira woke up unwillingly, not to the sweet tunes of songbirds, but to the incessant buzz of his alarm clock. He groaned as he pushed the snooze button and opened his eyes to only close it again against the sunlight that streamed through the window. He soon became aware of the piercing pangs of pain that hit him mercilessly and realized with a groan that he had another hangover.

It was Saturday, a week after the Meijin tournament, and the night before, he had gone drinking with some of the Go pros on a quote on quote victory celebration. He sat up, knowing that he had a study group to attend to later on in the day. He would have to mask his hangover as best as he can and that could take a while, as he learned through past experiences.

Akira stood up unsteadily, as the world spun around him, and it took him a few moments to get a firm footing. All of a sudden, he realized something. He was naked. He blinked in surprise. Last time he checked, he wasn't prone to sleeping nude. His eyes moved quickly to his bed and widened in shock as he saw a body concealed under the covers.

"Aw crap…" Akira said disbelievingly.

The figure stirred within the covers and sat up, blinking sleepily at Akira. She smothered her yawn almost gracefully and stretched, revealing that she too sported no clothes. 

"Good morning to you too sweetie," a slight smile adorning her features, despite the sarcasm in her voice.

She stood up; with a sheet wrapped around her and made her way towards Akira. It took him a while to register the situation and the hangover didn't help one bit. His head was throbbing; the world was spinning and now this? In his bewilderment, he didn't realize when the woman (yes, it was a woman) wrapped her arms around him and spoke against his neck.

"You're not happy to see me Akira-chan?"

"Yukiru…How…Why…?"

"You and your questions…" she murmured, and Akira distinctly felt her warm voice against his skin. "You looked so miserable and I wanted to comfort you…" She pulled away and faced Akira.

Akira looked at her with worry clearly in his eyes and asked unsurely, "Tell me…tell me we didn't…" He bit his lip and turned away, unable to face her any longer.

A huge smile appeared instantly on Yukiru's face as she slapped his back reassuringly, "Don't worry Akira-chan, I didn't take advantage of you…As much as you wanted me too," she said playfully.

She continued in a more serious tone, "Trust me, nothing happened. You know I would never do anything like that to you, right?" She brushed the dark green hair that fell in his eyes— which made him seem years younger— affectionately, waiting for an answer.

Through the haze, he managed to formulate an answer. Gathering his courage, he looked up, into the expecting face of Yukiru— a fellow Go pro, a close friend— someone he could count on since the day they had met. She was the one who comforted him after his divorce, the one who patiently listened to him talk about Hikaru, the one who stayed with him during his really low days. He would have been lost without her.

He let a small smirk adorn his features, "albeit the fact we're naked?"

"Hey!" she exclaimed defensively, "I'm not that kind of girl! It's not my fault you wanted me in your drunken desire, not that I blame you of course…." she winked suggestively at him.

He gave an exasperated sigh, "My God, Yukiru…You are _always_ like this, aren't you?"

"Oh but of course!" she laughed and somehow, she managed to look regal as she walked towards the bathroom. "You don't mind if I use the bathroom first, do you?" Before Akira could say anything, she answered her own question, "Thanks! You're such a sweetheart!" before she promptly shut the door.

Akira closed his eyes and fell back into bed. He didn't realize how exhausted he was and dealing with Yukiru first thing in the morning didn't help much. That, and the throbbing headache that simply refused to go away didn't help matters. He heard Yukiru start the shower, the water sounding like rain as it hit the ceramic floor, and groaned in acceptance as he resolved himself to his fate. This was going to be a long day…

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Akira left the Go Institute later that evening from his study group, strangely placated. One of his more promising students was improving dramatically and Akira was sure that he would pass the pro exam this year. He was glad that his hangover had slowly dissipated throughout the course of the day and didn't hamper his concentration. After the morning he had, a bout of Go had done some good, although, like always, it had seemed rather mechanical.

It was winter and the air was crisp and cool. There was a slight breeze that brought a deep chill as it ruffled through Akira's hair and he couldn't help but shiver. Usually, he would have driven home but he hadn't thought it was safe for him to drive in the condition he was in. He walked along the sidewalk, through the bustle of downtown Tokyo, lost in his own thoughts. 

It was weird that he seemed to grow younger in his mind as he grew older. When he was a teenager, everyone had said that he seemed so mature for his age, so ready to be an adult. He had wanted to be older and wiser and gain the experience that came with age. He had wanted to be recognized for not only something he loved to do, but for beating Hikaru, fair and square on their home turf. Twenty years later, he would do anything to go back to that time, where he had everything he had ever wanted. His passion for Go, his dreams, his rival…Oh how he missed those days…

Throughout all of this, he wasn't conscious of where his feet took him until he stopped and looked up to meet an unexpected sight. It was a Go club— but just not any Go club. He bit his lip in consideration, debating to himself if he should go in or not. He reached a tentative decision and he pushed the door in, the sound of the door chime meeting his ears.

It had been so long since he had came here. He remembered when he set eyes upon Hikaru here, looking wide-eyed and utterly clueless. He had been surprised that a kid his age had wanted to challenge him and he clearly remembered the feeling of annoyance that came at his cocky attitude. Who did this kid think he was?

It had shocked him that Hikaru had wanted no handicap and for a minute, he had been scared. Then, when he had seen the way Hikaru held his stone, Akira had laughed to himself. This kid was crazy…He didn't even know how to even hold the stones properly nevertheless beat him in an even game.

He had no chance— Hikaru had led the board since the beginning, despite his unusual playing style. By the end, he was so thoroughly dominated that it shocked him beyond belief. It had shaken his foundations that Hikaru was so strong— it was like playing his father. This kid was playing Shidougo with him

After that, he had subconsciously chased Hikaru and had tried to keep out of his grasp at the same time. Hikaru had been an enigma to him. Half of the time he was shocked by the other's strength and the other half, he was utterly disappointed. It was like there were two sides to Hikaru.

"Ah Touya-meijin! What are you doing here? We haven't seen you around in a while!"

Akira felt like a cat caught in the spotlight and he looked at the young cashier. It took him a while to recognize her.

"Kawara-san! You had grown since I last saw you. How is your mother doing anyway?"

"I'm honoured that you remember me Touya-meijin," she said cheerily. "Mother talks about you all the time— Touya this, Touya that— Dad is getting quite jealous."

Akira couldn't but laugh at the young woman's words. "That sounds like her…I do miss Ishikawa-san."

"Ooo…" she raised her head quickly as if a thought had struck her. "You came at the perfect time! There's this interesting new player that has been coming in here recently and has become quite popular with the crowd. I heard he has the strength of at least the strongest Insei but to honestly tell you, I've never seen him anywhere else before."

He raised a sceptical eyebrow at Kawara's words. An unknown player that strong…that doesn't make any sense.

Kawara caught the gist of his thoughts and said sheepishly. "Of course I'm not an expert as you are, so I don't have a right to judge…" She pointed towards the far corner of the room where a group of people had gathered. "You can see for yourself Touya-meijin. He's playing right over there."

His heart started to beat rapidly. He didn't know why he was getting his hopes up. Why should he care anyway? Probably some wannabe pro who didn't have enough to make it…But, in Akira's mind, a vivid memory of a 11 year-old Hikaru came to his mind, standing before him and asking for a game. 

It was a fanciful wish, an unrequited desire and even though he knew it was unreasonable, he felt himself head towards the crowd, a sudden need to see the player arising within him. He had difficulty breathing as he reached craned his neck to see to player, to catch a glance. His eyes quickly spotted a gap and he moved quickly to fill it and he heard his heartbeat resounding in his ears.

He noted offhandedly that the two players were still playing for his eyes were drawn instantly to the game. The game was clearly in yose and by his calculations; it was black's game. It was not a formation that Akira usually saw and he felt himself frown in thought. 

It seemed awkward to the casual observer but Akira could see the thought that black put in his moves. Each stone had a purpose and although it seemed like white had the upper advantage, black had beaten the other in yose through strategy the player had used since the beginning of the game. He was immersed in the game so much that the words "I have lost" barely reached his ears. 

"About time…" Akira commented to himself and looked up to see the white player give up.

"Thank you for the game, Kenji-san," the black player answered back gracefully. The voice had startled Akira— the soft tone rang clearly in his ears. His felt his breath hitch as he turned to the player who sat poised, with a natural grace. 

The player looked no more than eighteen with a slight, lean figure fitted simply with jeans and a sweatshirt. His pale skin contrasted with the dark colours he wore and the fingers he used to hold the stones were long and elegant. Wisps of pale blue hair blew in an invisible breeze as fine locks framed his face. Akira couldn't help but notice these details but it wasn't that which had drawn him in.

There was an aura to the boy; something that emanated from him that seemed to call to Akira. The way he held the stones, the way he laid them, the way he played them— the Go board had been singing with every one of his moves. It was like the boy had been born to play the game— his talent had been exuded with every move that he had played. 

Akira felt his heart flutter at the prospect of playing him. When will he have his chance?

He hadn't felt like this in a long time— since the last time he played against Hikaru. The prospect of playing an unknown opponent, someone who was this strong, made him feel so alive! He felt his emotions surge back with new life inside of him. They raised their voices and Akira's excitement rose with them. He hadn't realized he was staring at the boy until the latter turned, and stared right back.

It was only for a moment. But it was as if time had frozen for that one second as eyes the colour of the ocean depths— a deep, pure blue— filled his vision. He noticed the shock that also registered on the face of the boy at this connection before he was overwhelmed. The boy before him slowly lost his realism as Akira felt he was blinded by it all. Images of Hikaru and all the confrontations he had with him flooded his senses and he couldn't find a way out. Why was he thinking about Hikaru at a time like this? 

He couldn't handle this anymore! He closed his eyes and he was engulfed in black rather than blue. He backed away slowly as he headed towards the doorway, and then made a hasty departure. 

Akira took shaky breaths as he walked swiftly back to his apartment. The cold air brought him back to his senses and his thoughts freely drifted to the mysterious boy. Who was he anyway? 

Only time can tell.


	3. Chapter 2: Encounter

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Disclaimer: Sorry, I'm too lazy to come up with a disclaimer that is remotely funny. Hikaru no Go belongs to the great Hotta-san and Obata-san.

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A/N: Sorry for the delay everybody. First my computer crashed and I had to get that replaced, which was then followed by laziness and procrastination. You have my promise that I *will* continue this series but I have a feeling the next chapter won't come out any time soon with all the ISU projects piling up and the exams looming, looming ever closer. [sighs] Stupid school…

On another note, I was wondering if there is anybody out there that wants to be my beta-reader. The job doesn't pay much anything (come on, seriously, I'm a teenager… - -;) but I would appreciate if someone (perhaps more than one) would look over my work for grammar and the general content. It would be awesome if the person(s) was/were familiar with the series Naruto, Tennis no Oujisama and Harry Potter since I have plans to write fics for them as well. Not only that, it would be awesome if the person(s) wouldn't bite off my head at the slowness of writing…- -; If you or anybody you know would be interested, just e-mail me at: bishiekraze@hotmail.com or leave a review. Thanks for your attention everybody and as always, comments are appreciated. Now let us go on with the show! ^ ^

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Another Chance

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Chapter 2: Encounter

Akira was standing alone at the very end of a cliff, and he was waiting— waiting for something he didn't know. He could see the thick sea foam that flew as it hit the rocks on the shore, a precipitous drop below. His hair whipped around his face and his clothes billowed in the gales of wind that blew towards him with unrelenting force.

He suddenly felt light and he realized that his feet no longer touched the ground, that he was slowly drifting away as if carried by the wind. His mind was blank except for the uplifting bliss that filled him. Floating on airy wings, his mind as clear and when his eyes rested on the boy that flew beside him— the boy that remained forever sixteen in his mind— his purpose was filled.

Akira smiled and Hikaru smiled back as they continued to rise, defying the laws of gravity. But, Akira then noticed with a start that Hikaru was rapidly falling, leaving him behind. The decision that Akira made then seemed to seal his fate. The euphoric feeling that ran through him dissipated as gravity pulled. Akira found himself falling as if yanked by an invisible chain.

He reached out a hand desperately, hoping to save Hikaru, but the distance between the two lengthened as Hikaru's acceleration increased. He glanced at the boy and found himself looking into brown eyes that were not distressed or scared but filled with unspeakable grief and loneliness.

A little yelp of disbelief escaped from his mouth as Hikaru quickly became a blur, his features hardly distinguishable due to the great distance. Then, all of a sudden, he began to disappear— in the literal sense. Hikaru's form began to fade and his body became unrecognizable and his eyes lost its light before he disappeared all together.

He felt grief slowly settle over him, sink its claws into his self during this vulnerable state. It felt like something was missing from him, that all of a sudden, he was empty. Funny…he didn't know what that something was…

Akira continued to fall, but he didn't care. He didn't know what the purpose was. There was nothing he could do anyway. He was falling and eventually, he was going to hit the ground. It frightened him to think that he could fall endlessly— he would have no way to escape from reality.

Then suddenly, there was a light and as it shone, it was as if finally, he could see. It was as if Akira finally gained insight on his surroundings, on his life, and it was then he realized how black his world was— how he had been surrounded by darkness.

And then, there was a familiar hand, with long, slender fingers, which was radiating with such a pure and intense light that it blinded him. He narrowed his eyes, and to his astonishment, it was reaching out to him. It wanted him to grab on and Akira's mind was racing with possibilities. Who would want to help him?

He tried to look up but the light was too much. All he could see was a dazzling smile, warm and encouraging and he heard a faint voice calling. "Akira-kun…Akira-kun…."

Akira was brought back to reality as he felt a shooting pain emanating from his upper left arm. He soon realized that he was sitting in the passenger seat of a car, the seatbelt digging into his skin. And it hadn't been that mysterious person that had said his name but Yukiru who sat beside him. He turned to see an annoyed Yukiru whose face was turned towards him, an impatient expression on her face as she waited for the traffic light to turn green.

"I see the only way I can stop you from daydreaming is by using violence."

Akira blinked in surprise. "Was I daydreaming?"

A disbelieving expression appeared on Yukiru's face at the question. "You're kidding, right? You've been zoning out for the past couple of days and you haven't even _realized_ it?"

"It's possible, right?" Akira tried to give a convincing smile but failed miserably.

Yukiru narrowed her eyes, as if contemplating the situation. A long, drawn-out second later, "Something is up, I can feel it. You know I'll find out eventually."

Needless to say, Akira was very grateful when at the light turned green and Yukiru concentrated on driving. He didn't like being under Yukiru's scrutiny, especially when it was a subject he would rather avoid. Avoid? What he trying to avoid? He wasn't hiding anything…was he?

A flash of blue filled his mind's eye proving him otherwise. It was unusual. He had seen the boy for a split second, and he couldn't stop thinking about him. And for some reason, he reminded him so much of someone he knew but he couldn't understand how that was possible. He didn't look anything like the people he knew.

"_Oh God…this is what stress does to you…It makes you think of crazy things…" _he thought tiredly to himself. Life was never easy for him, was it?

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It was later that day, mid-afternoon to be precise, and the sun was shining brightly behind some wispy clouds despite the cold. Crowds of people were mingling around him as he stood in front of the Go Institute, looking quite the stranger in spite of the fact he was there at least once a week. Today was the day of the Children's Go tournament and his daughter had decided (by herself of course) that she wanted to come. Although she was only six, she already developed a love for Go and practised everyday, with of without somebody. Akira couldn't help but be proud of that. After all, how many fathers can say that their six-year-old daughter insists on playing Go everyday?

At times, Akira forgot how young his daughter really was but today he was very aware as Akane held his hand tightly and looked at the world from behind his legs. He was secretly glad at signs like this that showed that she was still a child. Akane was too mature for her age and it scared him to think that she was moving towards the same path he had followed as a child. It was never good to grow up too young.

Yukiru had left them to get ready for her Go lessons. Although she was a 6-dan Go player, she occasionally volunteered to teach Go to the general masses in Go festivals like these. Even though she wouldn't admit it, she enjoyed doing what she did. She had a kind heart and never failed to volunteer, when the opportunity arose.

Before Akira had time for a second thought, Akane decided to take charge of the situation. Although she still held his hand as if it was a safety line, Akane proceeded to lead him through the crowd. She stopped at one exhibit after another, excitement clear in her actions. She was full of questions and they seemed never-ending; Akira could honestly say that he was exhausted within a couple of hours. 

It was early evening and Akane was inquiring the person in charge of the Internet Go exhibit to teach her how to play. Akira smiled to himself as he saw how eagerly she listened to the man's words, how her face lighted up as she figured out how to play, how she fidgeted with enthusiasm. 

A hand rested on Akira's shoulder and surprised him out of his thoughts. "Touya-meijin…What a surprise." Akira turned around rapidly and came face-to-face with a familiar face.

Akira felt himself smirk. "Well, well, well Waya-san…I didn't expect to see you here, especially after I trounced you in the Meijin tournament."

Waya gave a disbelieving sigh, "you still are a dirty little bastard, aren't you?"

"And your vocabulary hasn't changed much either, has it?" Akira answered back smoothly.

Waya stood before him— a few inches taller still sporting his messy brown hair and wearing a casual suit, navy blue with an open collar. Akira and Waya weren't rivals, nobody could ever be that, but he was a high-ranked pro Go player and that was enough for Akira. It was a tentative friendship that had developed after Hikaru's disappearance; they were more than acquaintances but less than friends.

"We really can't have a civil conversation, can we?" Waya asked, half-jokingly.

"Of course not…especially with your temper Waya-san." Akira couldn't help but laugh at the offended expression on Waya's face.

"Hey! You-" Waya couldn't finish his sentence as he was interrupted by a voice that arose from the surrounding crowd.

"Touya-kun, Waya-kun! Imagine the shock of finding the two of you together on friendly terms!" Yukiru exclaimed happily as her small body fought through the crowd.

"We aren't that bad…" Akira said, sweat dropping as she reached them. "And what are you doing here anyway? Aren't you be running the booth to help out the beginner Go players?"

Yukiru turned and proclaimed indignantly to Akira, "Hey! I'm on break! And just for that accusation that I'm a slacker, I'm going to give you the silent treatment."

Before Akira could reply, she showered her attention over an unprepared Waya. "Waya-kun! It's been a long time since I last saw you." She promptly hugged the man and Waya kissed her quickly on the cheek. "Did my sister come with you today?"

"No, you know how she doesn't like crowds. She said she would rather stay home with Takeru. I don't think she's accepted the fact that he is going to be attending school this year…" Waya laughed at the silliness of his wife.

"Yes, she can be quite overprotective, can't she?" Yukiru asked light-heartedly, still blatantly trying to ignore Akira, who was waiting rather patiently.

"But Kitsuka did come with me…He said he wouldn't miss the chance."

"Of course he wouldn't! He's a pro Go player after all…I bet he's enjoying the experience. After all, someone in the family had to inherit your talent!" She laughed to herself and she nudged the man blithely.

"Yeah…Isumi would have been proud," Waya started and stopped abruptly and Akira noticed the faraway look the came over his eyes. 

Akira's eyes caught Yukiru's and they both shared an all-knowing look. Akira was suddenly transported years back and he remembered how jealous he had felt at seeing Waya and Isumi. Every time, they were within each other's presence, they seemed to shine with an inner light, a quiet and holy happiness that only comes with a sincere love. They had moved in together and had even adopted a little boy, Kitsuka, who was seven at the time. The child found a warm and loving home in their apartment and it seemed as if their life was perfect. To Akira, everything about their relationship portrayed something he had longed for with Hikaru but could never have. They had each other, they had a kid, and they had the perfect life- what could possibly go wrong?

However, one evening, when the weather was dreary and Isumi was driving Kitsuka home from a tennis practice, he lost control of the car. The car swerved as it hit a patch of slippery gravel and as hard Isumi tried to keep it in control, it ran off the road and crashed into the protective barrier at the side. Although Kitsuka had survived, Isumi hadn't made it. When Akira heard the news, it had been the end of a beautiful dream. 

Akira remembered how Waya hadn't taken the news well. He left the Go scene for close to a year, hiding in his apartment with Kitsuka, determined to prove that his life was over. Later on, he mentioned to Akira that if it hadn't been for Kitsuka, he didn't know how he would have survived. He immersed himself with taking care of Kitsuka, and preoccupied himself with other tasks- anything that didn't remind him of Isumi. 

Even though Waya eventually recovered and did return to the Go world, with the encouragement of Kitsuka, he was never the same again. How could he be? His eyes held a glint of sadness, despite his usual friendly demeanour. Poor Waya never fully recovered after the loss of Isumi and it saddened Akira that Waya had experienced something as fulfilling as the first taste of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, only for it to be taken away from him so brutally.

It wasn't as if Waya didn't love his wife Atsuko (who was Yukiru's sister and who he had met through Yukiru); he would not have married her otherwise. Yet, there was something about the experience of first love that never left without imprinting itself on one forever. 

Desperate to change the topic, he attempted to grasp at straws, looking for something to distract the zoned out Waya when all of a sudden he realized something. He looked around frantically, wanting desperately to be proved wrong. His worst predictions came true— she was nowhere in sight.

"Oh no…" he whispered softly but both Waya and Yukiru had heard him. Yukiru's attention shifted to Akira and Waya came out of his reverie, looking dazed.

"What is it Akira?" Yukiru asked worriedly, seeing the tension settle on his face.

His voice half broke as he attempted to face reality. "Akane…I can't see her anywhere!"

Both of the companions' eyes widened in disbelief but gathered themselves quickly, noticing how quickly Akira was breaking down.

"Akira, calm down. Akane must be around here somewhere. You know she's a smart girl… she wouldn't wander off too much," Yukiru tried to reassure the man.

"Yeah, we'll split up and look for her. We'll find her quicker that way," Waya suggested. The three quickly nodded their head in agreement, albeit Akira did so distractedly, and went off in their own direction.

Akira walked past the display about Internet Go and pushed his way through the throng of people straining his eyes and ears to spot a glimpse of his daughter or a strain of her voice. He didn't know how long he searched for her— every second, every minute was infinitely longer. He couldn't get his mind around it…Could he-could he have lost his Akane? His world suddenly became smaller within his eyes and the people around him simply became blurs. He had to find her... he just had to! 

Yes, in reality, it was the child who depended on the parent, but in his case, it was the other way around. Despite the circumstances of her birth, she grew to be his pillar of support— without her he would of crumbled long ago. Without her, there truly wouldn't be any meaning to his life. She was the little spark that kept him clinging, clinging in hope that something will come for his salvation. 

Then he heard it; a faint voice that reached his ears, despite the loud bustling of the crowd around him.

How was it possible? How could he pinpoint one specific voice from the sea of people? He was delusional, that was it. Hearing things that weren't actually there…this is what Touya Akira has come to. Yet, despite his doubts and incredulity at his unreasonable hope, he felt himself being drawn towards the source of the voice. What if it was actually her? He didn't have the courage not to pursue this possible chance.

And then, he saw her. A flash of her light brown hair flashed in the corner of his sight and he swiftly moved towards her. Hope began to rise in his stomach and mounted quickly as the distance shortened, and his eyes became blind to everything except the tiny fleck of brown that grew in shape, size and colour.

He broke through the barrier of people and saw his petite daughter, Akane, who hadn't changed a bit since the last time he saw her. She was animatedly talking, with large gestures and lots of movement, to a young man crouched before her. Akira expected his paternal instincts to be on full alarm. Who does that stranger think he was, listening to Akane talk so freely, while he was sick with worry? Yet, Akira noticed the protective way he hovered over her and the delighted laughs that he managed to get from her, and his worry ebbed away, if only slightly. Akane's judgement was sometimes better than his own.

Ultimately, it was intense relief that settled heavily in him and he called out in a choked voice his daughter's name. Akane's head rapidly turned around and squealed "Daddy!" before jumping into his outstretched arms. He knelt before her and brushed the wisps of hair before her face and fixed the ribbons in her hair, hardly believing he had found her. For those few moments that Akane had gone missing— he had truly thought he had lost her.

"So this is your daughter," a softly accented voice rang in the air, not because of the volume but because of its quality. Akira's eyes, which had closed in contentment from the warmth of Akane's body in his arms, opened wide in shock. He had almost forgot about this man, but that wasn't what bothered Akira. There was something about the voice, the way its tone rang in his ears, which was just so familiar to him.

Akane pulled out of his embrace and tugged at his sleeve, demanding attention. "Daddy, daddy! I got so lost and I got really scared that I couldn't find you. I tried to look for you but then I just go more lost. Then, this nice man saw me and told me not to worry and that you would find me. And he was right!" she rushed through the explanation, almost as if it was all said in one breath.

Akira stood up, with Akane in his arms, his eyes directed towards the floor. He didn't know why he was so unwilling to meet the other man's eyes but he knew it was rude not to say anything after the stranger's kindness. 

"Thank you for finding my daughter," his voice sounded a little shaky to him as he continued, "If there is anything I could do for you…" While he said this, he forced himself to look up and when his eyes met the deep blue ones of the other, he couldn't help but elicit a slight gasp.

Right before him, stood the boy from the Go parlour. His attire was more formal this time around with a dark blue button up shirt and dress pants, but it was the same boy with the bottomless eyes, which shimmered at the surface like the ocean but hid a well-guarded secret below its depths. His voice caught in his throat as he continued to gaze at the young man. Who was he?

Akira heard the other speak again and was abruptly drawn away from his ponderings. "Ah…Touya-meijin. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you. One cannot mention Go without your name coming up."

"And you are…" Akira managed to ask, 

The young man looked startled for a moment and then he laughed. A laugh that resembled the soft tinkling of wind chimes on a breezy day. "Oh how rude of me to not introduce myself. My name is Bynes Mikael, it's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." He held a hand out and after a moment of contemplation, Akira set Akane down and shook it. 

Akira was tempted to hold on longer than necessary for a normal handshake. He enjoyed the feel of the cool skin against his and the feel of the elegant fingers grasping his. Akira was briefly reminded of the texture of velvet. He rolled the name Mikael in his mouth— it was both sweet and sharp and left a strong aftertaste, as was expected of a foreign name. "Mii-kai-ru…" he sounded out each syllable, unsure of the pronunciation.

Again he heard the soft, ringing laugh of the other and he felt something inside him stir at the sound. "It would be an honour for you to call me Kai. I prefer it better."

Akira felt himself smile, a genuine one that lingered on his face for some time. "Very well then Kai-san."

They stood there for a bit, a little oasis of silence among the people around them. Akira dared not break the moment as he took in Kai's presence as if this encounter was the last. A strange, comforting aura seemed to emanate from the other's self that helped soothe Akira's restless mind. 

"But what is it about this guy that makes me feel like-like _this_?" wondered Akira when he had the sudden urge to push the wisp of hair that settled before Kai's eyes. He was lost in the darkness of his self, unable to comprehend these unbidden thoughts. He was grasping for understanding and just as he managed to graze it, the intense moment was penetrated by the voices of Waya and Yukiru.

He felt Akane tug at his hand, which she had slipped in his hand. "Daddy, look behind you! Yukiru-san and Waya-san are heading our way!" she exclaimed happily. He unwillingly turned towards the direction his daughter was pointing to and it was indeed the two who walked rapidly towards them.

"Akira! I'm so glad that you found Akane!" Yukiru said as she quickly greeted Akane. "How did you find her?"

Akira blinked, and it took him a second to formulate and answer. "I really wasn't the one to find her…I found her talking to this guy named Kai over there…" he turned around and his words drifted to a stop. His eyes only strayed to an empty spot, where the boy had once stood; now, only a gang of elderly men drifted by.

"Are you sure Akira? By the looks of it there's nobody there…" Yukiru asked worriedly. She had to admit that lately Akira had been acting weird lately, living in a constant daydream. Now he was having hallucinations? She knew she shouldn't be jumping to conclusions but with the way things were going with Akira, anything seemed possible.

"He was right there!" Akira replied back fiercely. He saw the startled expressions that settled on Yukiru and Waya at his outburst. He wasn't known to speak with such strong feelings; Anger, Hate, Happiness, and Love— as the years passed, they had all merged to be one uniform emotion. He continued softer, almost disbelieving, "we spoke to each other and we— we shook hands…" his gaze fell to his right hand where the warmth of the other boy's hand still tingled.

"Umm, okay then…" Waya said unsure of what to say to Akira's claim, "If you say so…."

Yukiru noted the touchiness of the subject. She then noticed the time. She thought to herself, _"Why not kill two birds with one stone?"_

"Oh no! I have to get back to my station. I have to play some Go pro from Korea as an exhibition match. Do you want to come watch?"

"Might as well…you always have such spectacular losses," Waya said half-jokingly only to get punched in his arm by Yukiru.

"Ow! Jeez, what was that for you little psycho bitch?" he muttered as he rubbed his sore arm.

"Watch your language in front of the kids," Yukiru reprimanded laughingly, "You really are an idiot, aren't you?"

Akira looked at the two argue and he couldn't help but laugh. It was surprising that the two had lasted this long without a single disagreement. His mind still lingered on the young man who possessed those azure eyes— a pure blue tinted by violet— and his identity, although he desperately wanted to prove otherwise. He didn't care about him at all— why would he? He was simply a stranger that had entered his life out of the blue, who came and left as he pleased. Perhaps this was even the last time he would encounter Kai— just as quickly as he entered the picture, he will leave, and Akira will keep on living as he was.

Akira felt his daughter's presence beside him, her small hand fitting perfectly into his. A cheery smile on her face, at the prospect of the exhibition match, she led Akira eagerly behind the still bickering pair.

As he basked in the moment, as imperfect as it was, Akira reached a conclusion. He will continue living and honestly? It wasn't so bad.


End file.
